Economic History of the Jews throughout the ages:
Sources, Methodologies, Narratives

Koschitzky Department of Jewish History annual conference
Bar-Ilan University, June 5-6, 2013
The purpose of this conference is to challenge the writing of Jewish economic history in all periods in changing communal frameworks, as a majority in a sovereign state and as a minority and as immigrants in the Diaspora, using both old and new research tools. This conference offers wider perspectives for research on the Jewish economy in varied political and geographical expanses, in the East and West, including differing historical sources for studying the economic development of the Jews in the various Diaspora communities; theoretical issues that deal with the Jewish cultural influence on the development of Jewish economic activity.

Suggested topic areas: the economy in Jewish tradition and Jewish thought; vocational education and professional training; Jewish entrepreneurship; Jewish banking; moneylending by Jews; Jews in port cities; the economic-professional structure of various Jewish communities; Jewish professions; the connection between demography and economy; economics in Jewish historiography; "Jewish niches" in the economies of different societies in Christian lands, Muslim lands, the Far East and the New World; elite groups and marginal groups in Jewish society; cooperation and competition between Jews and non-Jews in various countries; Jewish pioneering in various industries; Jewish economic activity – image and reality; "Jewish takeover of the nation's economy" as a motif in anti-Semitism and politics of various countries.

Proposals for other topics within the general subject area of the conference are also welcome.

The conference will be held at Bar-Ilan University on June 5-6, 2013. Lectures will be 20 minutes in length, and the proposals should take this into account. Please send the title of the proposed lecture, along with an abstract of up to 250 words and a short CV to the following address: Jewishhistory.dept@mail.biu.ac.il, and please note on the subject line "annual conference".

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